DownsMail In touch with your parish Continued from page 34


volunteers in the Old School Hall in early October. There should be enough volunteers for two to three teams and it should be possible to hold aweekly ses- sion. The council received the an-


nual return for the year ending March 31, 2013. There were no items requiring further action. Regarding the community


right to bid, the council agreed to consider which sites/build- ings in the village might be ap- propriate for registration and would bring back suggestions to the next meeting. The Old School Hall was the most obvi- ous and the council noted it was important to keep Mandy and Gerry informed if the mat- ter was taken further.


Headcorn Council Police visit


THERE were 18 reported crimes for the previous month. Police Inspector Maxine Mar-


tin addressed the meeting. She reported that she was responsi- ble for 13 wards to the east of Maidstone, many of them rural parishes including Headcorn. Headcorn is currently served


by PCSO Alan Beech, two spe- cial constables and a regular of- ficer who are all overseen by both Insp Martin and Sergeant Rachael Cumberland. Following incidents of anti-


social behaviour in the High Street and a meeting with the Police Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes and local traders, further actions had now been taken, including improved po- lice presence and distribution of radios to another 10 shops. A meeting had been held for traders to speak with a special- ist officer on gypsy and trav- eller issues as well as helping to gain an understanding on cul- ture and tradition. It is hoped to organise a meeting with the gypsy community. It was stressed that all inci-


dents should be reported to the police for them to be able to analyse trends. Thiswould then allow them to deploy resources to necessary areas. Insp Martin welcomed a meetingwith the parish council to discuss the issue of an office for the police to use in the vil- lage. This was to be arranged. The community warden was organising a training session for local businesses to attend on al- cohol awareness and the selling to underage persons. The parish council agreed to


print copies of an incident diary which would be distrib- uted to local businesses for completion and would be col- lected on a monthly basis. A meeting with the neigh- bourhoodwatch volunteers and community warden was being arranged to discuss re-launch-


42 South


ing the scheme. Quotes for additional CCTV


signs were being obtained by the clerk. KCC would be contacted


about the procurement of an in- teractive speed sign for the Wheeler Street/Smarden Road area.


Headcorn Parish Church had informed the council that the horse chestnut tree in the graveyard (opposite 8 and 9 Church Walk) would be felled due to disease and decay. An email was received from a resident regarding excessive train horn noise. An update on the neighbour-


hood plan was given. The resi- dent, business and traffic survey had been completed and a data analysis group had been formed. A grant of £2,500 had been confirmed from Maidstone Council and a further grant re- quest had been made to the Lo- cality Board for £6,000. The parish council budget of £6,000 now stood at £5,515 following expenses such as hall hire and printing costs. A number of meetings were planned to present emerging findings: October 15 to parish and borough councillors; Octo- ber 22 to Maidstone Council; November 8 to Headcorn parishioners and businesses. The aim was to have a set of emerging policy recommenda- tions by early December and to have consulted with all stake- holders on these via further meetings before the end of Jan- uary.


Regarding Headcorn Day,the


barn dance was very well at- tended and the Sunday event in Parsonage Meadow saw a con- stant stream of people. The team was thanked for all its hard work and a de-briefing meeting would follow shortly.


Solar panel cash Hunton Council


ALAN Bishop, chairman of the village hall management com- mittee, told members he had a cheque to give the parish coun- cil for £2,233, the first FIT pay- ment from the solar panels accumulated over 14 months up to June 2013. The next read- ing would be in September. Mr Bishop asked whether the income would be used for any- thing in particular. Cllr David Heaton explained that £500 per year would offset the initial cost of the panels and the re- mainder would compensate for the reduction in the concurrent functions grant received from Maidstone Council. The clerk had written a fol- low-up letter to the original let- ter sent to Maidstone Council planning enforcement regard- ing breaches of planning con- ditions at Little Clock House,


George Street. No reply had been received to either of the two letters as yet. The chairman reported that, following the completion of the footpath from Bensted Close to the village hall by KCC, there were a couple of outstanding is- sues. The hedge alongside the footpath wouldneedtobecut down in the autumn. There was a large pothole on the village hall side of the road to Hunton Engineering which needed fill- ing as people might need to step intoWest Street to avoid it. Alan Bishop agreed to take a look at the pothole. The Hunton nameplates still needed to be added to the 30mph posts. Regarding the West Street problems, the chairman said a road pin had been inserted in the culvert pipe in front of the village hall to act as a barrier to prevent large items from enter- ing it.


Richard Dixon had raised an


order for the existing white lines alongside the playing field to be refreshed. Mr Dixon had advised that if marker posts were required, the number re- quired would be of consider- able expense. Unless there were any injury statistics for Hunton Hill,new lines would not be painted as budgets were now only avail- able to address schemes where a proven safety requirement was necessary. The fadedwhite lines would be refreshed. Therewere no outstanding is-


sues on the 20mph speed limit outside the school. Members asked the clerk to speak to County Cllr Paulina Stockell about the marker posts. Several parishioners had written regarding parking problems and congestion near the school.Members agreed the problem was serious, particu- larly when cars were turning out of Bishops Lane and there were cars parked over the road. Members agreed that the clerk should write to the head re- minding her that parents should park in the village hall car park. The PCSO would be asked to


carry out regular patrols near the school and the clerk would ask Maidstone Council if rub- bish collections could be timed so that they didn’t clash with the school run. A letter had been received


from KCC regarding clearance of vegetation on public rights of way. There would be an extra 407m of cutting in the parish. The chairman had received a complaint about the overgrown footpath between The Square and Grove Lane. The clerk was to write to the landowner ask- ing that it be cut back. Danny Peacock, the chairman of the King George V playing


field management committee, reported on a recent meeting. Rabbits continued to be a problem on the football pitch and action would be needed to reduce numbers. The beech hedge needed cutting back and additional hedge planting was required alongWest Street. The new trim trail wastobe included in the monthly play area inspection by Maidstone Council. There had been incidents of


dog fouling on the field. The committee was consider-


ing siting a mirror opposite the entrance to the field and/or cutting back the tree to give bet- ter vision. Regarding the Hunton parish


plan, Mike Somersgill was to carry out an environmental audit of the village. The larger vegetation in the community orchard would be cut back later in the year. Members discussed afford-


able housing. Residents had said they wanted cheaper hous- ing, but did not want more building in the village. Borough Cllr Dennis Collins said Maid- stone Council was in the process of identifying green, amber and red sites, and the Bensted Close site had been put forward. Members of HuntonWander-


ers cricket club had asked for the council’s support in a fund- ing application to Sport Eng- land for a new cricket pavilion. The pavilion, owned by the council, was in a state of disre- pair. It was agreed that the council should apply for fund- ing on behalf of the cricket club.


Anna Sawtell and SueWyles


were to reform neighbourhood watch in the parish. The coun- cil agreed to support the group with funding where necessary.


Marden Council Burglary cases


PCSO Nicola Morris was unable to attend the meeting, but pro- vided a crime report. There had been two attempted burglaries, six burglaries, one case of crim- inal damage and an attempted robbery in the month preceding the meeting. Speedwatch was being run within the village at various sites along Goudhurst Road, Pattenden Lane and Albion Road. Work had been carried out in partnership with the primary school regarding the previous theft of a bike. A person had been identified, and PCSO Mor- ris had attended regular meet- ings to work with individuals and local families at the school. A joint operation had taken


place with Golding Homes to undertake quality of life sur- veys in The Cockpit, Sutton Court, and Cranham Square.


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